Housing Changes
Acts 16:25-27
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Look at these mad men here singing and praising God in an awful situation. The other prisoners are listening from their cells. They are surely wondering if these men even know where they are. Look how easy it would be to talk about the drunks that got picked off the streets again for public disorder. But no, listen with their captive audience to the praises of our God. Indeed, according to Psalm 22:3 he inhabits the praises of his people. Imagine the power of the Lord. He hushed the other prisoners and their jailor also. That man is nowhere to be found. Could it be that the real miracle is found not in the angel, the doors, or the chains coming loose. Rather God has been moving here already. Do not laugh with 2 Corinthians 5:12-21 now. Paul says he is ready to write himself another commendation letter once again. All the believers reading it will say what a wonderful Christian man and leader he doubtless is. Now let us not jump ahead of God here. The situation is his; the glory is not of ourselves at all. So, any results, any good thing that is coming out of the trouble is of the Lord. For so the love of Christ is as the stocks which hold them. Has he not been there before them. He was once put to death by the same situation in which they now are. We will discuss shortly how he owns the whole building. Trust me on this. Because of whom he is, see the ownership of Christ.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
By himself Paul was ready to hang his apostolic hat upon the wall and resign himself to imprisonment for Christ. He was about to kiss Lydia and his earthly life goodbye. But now God has come into the situation. There is an earthquake with every door opened. Before Paul had been seeking after where Daniel went with the angel of the east. Then he found himself in a frightful situation; but thanks be to God he found Lydia. Well might he say he now knows "no man after the flesh." Rather are all new creations in God for indeed so has he sent them. They are from him just as surely as the Lord brought the apostles before the church today. See, I could just as easily replace the word 'man' in the text with 'situation.' How many of you behold him making all things new once more. It might be old right now. You might feel sick and tired of the same old thing day after day. But now God is in their midst. Nothing will ever be the same again. Notice the connection between the bonds being loosed and the "ministry of reconciliation" given them by God. Now the miracle for which you have prayed, waited, and longed for has come. But can he trust you to handle the shift. There are other prisoners here besides the apostles that also need Jesus. Leave God with the situation at home. God can be trusted to take care of your Lydias. Even if forever lasts until eternity, we can thank God who reconciles us all unto himself. See, he gave himself, so we never have to be parted from him again. So, he will be trusted to reconcile you to your Lydias once more. This is not because he has done something wrong or bad. Rather, he does so for his righteous sake.
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
Now here comes the keeper of the prison. He is suffering from the conviction of the Lord being under much distress. He is merely doing just what was ordered by the magistrates that ruled him. Some of you need not to be so upset at your jailors. Rather they are only doing what the devil, the principalities, and their situation has commanded them. His orders were to keep them fast. But how many know that when God is in the house all fasting and sighing must flee before him. All sorrow and trouble must go. Is he not the God of all, having himself suffered so. Finding Heaven's approval, he now sits on the throne as the God of these also. Will you not let him be your Lord also today. These men were supposed to have eaten nothing. Yet in their trouble they found that God and his house had provision enough for all. Indeed, the table of the Lord had been prepared in the presence of their enemies. See the conditions of their spiritual imprisonment in the physical realm. Clearly their jailor has failed in his duties. Could it be all some of you need to do for your situation, your jailor, and your trouble to flee is to praise God. Now the doors to the house the jailor controls no longer are open. All these men are freed for God is inside. Just like that the spiritual stronghold is down; so, this man has nothing left to do but turn to Jesus. Well, he could allow the spirit of self-harm to trouble his body. But this is God's house indeed having spoiled such. He will not allow all this disorder for long. For behold he is the God of that too. All some of you must do is start preaching Jesus. Watch the demons flee and the situations change for that is just what he does.